Angel Wings
by Pockets Full Of Stars
Summary: A year ago to the day, Rayna's life was suddenly turned upside down. The past 365 days had been the biggest struggle of her life, but will something and someone help her find her strength again? One Shot.
1. Chapter 1

**This idea came to me randomly, i have no idea why. Imagine Rayna and Deacon in their old age...how cute. I can picture them still the exact same, just wrinkly and a bit stiffer. I choose to believe that they both are, right now, living their best life, and one day will reach old age TOGETHER. You all should too, its far better than what the show did. Reviews are always appreciated. thank you!**

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The year is 2050. Rayna is 80 years old. She has long grey hair, wrinkles, shes more fragile, but certainly dosen't need a walking stick or any type of helping hand with anything. She had retired from the music industry back when she was 70, but she still wrote with her husband deacon whenever they felt like it. Nobody but them would hear the songs though. They were secret. That was up until 1 year ago to the day.

_It had been a calm relaxing day, they'd been chilling at Deacons house which they moved into after they sold her Belle Meade mansion once the girls moved out. They had been living in his little house ever since - the cabin was their escape. They had been writing half the day, singing in their now quieter more aged voices, but Deacon had been saying how he hadn't been feeling well that afternoon, so Rayna made him food, hoping that would help, but it didn't. They went to bed early hoping that in the morning he'd be feeling better. _

_The next morning she sat up, reaching over to her bedside table, grabbing her glasses. She hadn't really felt a lot of movement from Deacon in the night, but it didn't worry her. He was quite a heavy sleeper, especially since he had gotten older. "Deacon." she whispered, placing her hand on his bony shoulder. He was 82 and over the past few months had been feeling more unwell than he ever had, but he'd been to the doctor and they said it was just old age kicking in. She ran her hand over his shoulder, waiting for him to stir like he usually did, but nothing. "Deacon?" she said again, this time an octave louder. Still nothing. Her brow furrowed and she had a gut feeling that something wasn't quite right. She felt for a pulse - nothing. He had died. He had passed away right next to her as she was sleeping. Her heart in that moment completely shattered. She had never felt so broken in her entire life. His body was still warm so she knew he had to of passed on recently. _

_"No, no..." she cried as she wrapped her arms around his body, holding him as tightly as she could. "You cant leave me!" her whole body was shaking. She looked down at his face which was partly covered by the duvet, taking in how peaceful he looked. In that moment she had a vision of when he was younger. He looked the same, except now his hair was grey, his body bonier and his skin wrinklier. Nothing in Deacons personality had changed, he was still the same. Ever since she passed on Highway 65 to their daughters 10 years ago, she bad barely spent a day apart from him. They had always been inseparable, but the last 10 years they were just living in the little house, with his guitars, her song writing books and that's it. That's all they needed. Every Friday they would go out to one of the more quiet music bars in Nashville just to make sure they didn't lose the connection with the city and the music. The last time they went was 2 days ago. Now here she was lying with Deacons body in the bed they had shared for over 30 years._

Now here one year later she was alone in the house. Deacons favourite guitar was still on its stand in the corner of the living room. She hadn't touched it since he placed it there that final night - she never would. In the past year not much had happened besides her own health had started to deteriorate. She knew it was probably down to a broken heart, because that's all she had felt this past year. It had never gotten easier, no matter how many days passed. Her sister Tandy and her daughters had all tried to comfort her, tried to get her out more, even write music with her, but she didn't want to. Music had always been her self place - her happy place. Now it was just painful. She had always done music with Deacon for as long as she could remember and now all she could see every time she even thought about writing, was his song writing book sitting on the coffee table with his unfinished song he had been writing on his final night.

Today was one year since his passing, and she just wanted to be alone. She already had numerous texts from Daphne this morning asking how she was. She had replied saying shes struggling but she'll be fine, even though she knew in her heart she wasn't fine and never would be again. She grabbed her car keys, hopped in her truck and headed up to the cabin. She had only been up there a few times over the past year. The first few months she couldn't bring herself too, but now she found it more comforting than anything. It was always weird going up there without Deacon, but it was one of the places she knew his spirit would always be.

A short while later she arrived at the beautiful white cabin, their rocking chairs still perched on the porch..nothing had changed from all those years ago. The only difference being the cabin looked a little more worn down. There was a light breeze which created ripples across the water, much to her satisfaction. She made her way over to the rocking chairs, sitting down, taking in the view. This was her favourite place on the planet, the only thing missing was _him. _She could still feel his presence out here, it felt like he was never gone. He was buried at a cemetery not far from the cabin, but she had never been - not since the funeral. She couldn't bring herself too, but today she felt like it was necessary. She wasn't sure if she should, but it was something that she felt like she needed to do to try and connect with him again. She walked around to the garden at the back of the cabin, to a little flower bed that had some beautiful white Madonna Lilys that they had planted many years ago together. She plucked a few from the dirt, bundled them into her bony hands and placed them on the passenger seat of her truck. Coming up to the cabin today of all days had made her realise that she had to go see Deacon. She _had_ to go talk to him, even if he wasn't able to respond.

Rayna had been sitting under a big tree in her truck for the past hour at the entrance to the cemetery. She watched other people, of all ages, placing flowers down at plots, some coming out with tears in their eyes, some not. She knew when she comes out, shell have tears dripping off her face. The cemetery will probably be flooded with her tears. She reached over, picked up the flowers from the passenger seat and grabbed her glasses from the middle compartment. That's when she noticed a little piece of crumpled paper in the bottom. She picked it up, and read it.

/

_Remember when I was young and so were you  
And time stood still and love was all we knew  
You were the first, so was I  
We made love and then you cried  
Remember when_

_Remember when we vowed the vows and walked the walk  
Gave our hearts, made the start, it was hard  
We lived and learned, life threw curves  
There was joy, there was hurt  
Remember when..._

_/_

They were the lyrics to a song he had been writing many, many years ago. It wasn't a song they would ever release, it was one he had planned on singing to Rayna only, and he had many times. This wrinkled piece of paper was his first written draft of the song. It was one of her favourite ones he had ever written, and still to this day even reading the lyrics brings tears to her eyes. She bundled the paper up in her opposite hand to the flowers and hopped out of the truck. It was nice and sunny and she knew if Deacon was here right now he would be creating some silly little song for her about it. As she started to walk across to where she remembered his plot was, she hesitated. She knew that if she did this, there was no going back. She continued on though, she had too.

She saw his headstone over by a big oak tree. It was a guitar shape, and she quietly laughed to herself. She remembered how in his will he had specifically stated that's what he wanted. He wrote that 15 years ago.

_"I want a guitar headstone." he looked up at Rayna from his glasses. "I think that would be fitting."_

_"What?" Rayna raised her eyebrows. "Babe do they even do that?"_

_Deacon nodded, giving her a cheeky smile. He had decided when he was 65 that it was time to write his will, because he had no idea when his time was up, and he wanted to have it all sorted so he didn't have to worry when he was older and unable to make his own decisions._

_"You're such an idiot." she laughed. _

Today, standing beside his headstone, he had gotten exactly what he wanted. His guitar headstone. It had a picture of Deacon in a little circle plaque smack bang on the front. It was one Rayna had taken on a family weekend up at the cabin when the girls were still young. Daphne was 13 and Maddie was 17. He had the biggest smile on his face - he was happy.

Tears filled Rayna's eyes at the sight of his beautiful face. She could sense his spirit in the air, and in a weird way she actually felt safe - protected. She knew it would be Deacon wrapping his angel wings around her for comfort. She bent down slowly to her knees, struggling slightly with her fragile and stiffening bones. She used her hands to dig a little hole at the front of his headstone, placing the flowers down into the dirt, making sure to pat down the roots so they're secure. She also dug a separate hole and placed in the piece of paper with the song lyrics on. She wanted those to be with him forever, because he was incredibly proud of it.

Once she had sorted it all out, she looked up at Deacons picture and his smiling face. "I miss you, honey." her voice breaking. Rayna kissed the tips of her fingers and ran them over his picture. "You have no idea how much."

She wasn't sure if she wanted to stay any longer and torture herself with the pain, but today was one year since he left her and she could sense him telling her to stay put. She wanted to say so much to him, tell him what had been happening since he gained his wings, she wanted to just simply talk to him again. She got herself in a comfier position - on her butt. She knew her backside would be covered in dirt after but she didn't care. She already had tears beginning to roll down her cheeks, her hand quickly swiping at them.

"God, Deacon. You really have no idea. Its been hell on earth without you. Without your love, your smile, your laugh...your guitar skills, your voice..." she cried. "Nothing feels right anymore."

Rayna took a moment to wipe away her tears, composing herself. She knew this was gonna be hard, but it was excruciating. Truly excruciating.

"I'm not gonna lie, Deacon, i truly feel like you took my soul with you. I don't really even feel human anymore. I lay in bed at night and i still feel your body next to me and then i wake up in the morning to realise all over again that you're gone. No good morning kisses - nothing. Id do anything to bring you back, anything at all. I just want to be in your arms again." she dipped her head, letting her tears fall onto the dry dirt beneath her. "I don't write music anymore, or sing it. I haven't been able too. Its too painful. I know you would probably be telling me right now to try, but i cant. I cant do it without you."

She was glad that right now she had the cemetery to herself because she was an absolute wreck.

"I haven't been back to our bar either, you know that little place we would go every Friday?" she asked, almost expecting him to answer. Of course he didn't, though. She sighed. "Well yeah, anyway, life just isn't the same. I've been feeling my health deteriorate too, honey. I don't think i'll be far off reuniting with you. Then we can continue on, together." she smiled at the thought of being back with him.

"Ill be seeing you again, Deacon. I promise you that. If i'm honest, id rather be with you than here anyway. Id be much happier, so i cant wait." she ran her fingers across his face on the headstone, before slowly standing up. She stood staring at his picture for longer than was necessary, but it comforted her. For the first time since his death, she felt okay. Telling him aloud that she would see him again and that she would be reuniting with him one of these days brung her a feeling of warmth and love. Something she hadn't experienced for a whole entire year. She felt at peace knowing that he can expect her arrival in heaven one of these days. Rayna looked up at the big tree that was giving shade to the area before looking back down at his face. "See you soon, Deacon."

She swiped at her eyes, ridding herself of the tears. She didn't look back, she couldn't. She went straight to the truck, got in, and drove. For 80 years old, she was still very agile and able to do everything. Her heart was beating faster than it had in so long, part of that was nerves and adrenaline, but mainly the fact that she could feel Deacon back in there. He was helping her heart beat faster again - beat with love. She could feel him against her, soothing her - comforting her. In a way she wished she had done this so much sooner, but she was also glad she had done it now, on the one year anniversary. It made it more special and meaningful.

She drove back home, parked the truck, made her way inside, and for the first time in a year she picked up a pen and put it to paper. She finally felt like she could do it. She knew this is what Deacon would want. He wouldn't want her spending her last days, months, or even years moping around and not doing what she was best at - music. Deacon, like always, had helped her. He always had, and he clearly always will.

One day they'll reunite, but for now, Rayna will do what had always helped her, and that is putting her thoughts and feelings onto paper. "This is for you, babe." she held her pen towards the sky, before focusing back on the writing.

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**The song featured in this story is 'Remember When' by Alan Jackson in case anyone was wondering. Its such a Deyna song. Also i almost cried writing this. The thought of either of them without the other is so sad and painful. **


	2. Chapter 2

_**I wasn't going to continue this in any way shape or form, but a review from Blondeclyde encouraged me to do so. Thank you so much. This is the last part to this story, so all reviews are definitely appreciated! **_

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Ever since Rayna visited his headstone that first time, she had felt a little more happy about life - about music. She had written a few more songs over the next two years, never performing them, always just for her self. She had sung them out at Deacon's grave on special occasions - birthdays, Christmas, wedding anniversaries etc. The music was the only thing that had slightly helped. It gave her comfort, it made her feel like Deacon was with her. It hadn't healed her wounds though regarding his passing. She still cried herself to sleep every single night, she still hadn't touched his guitar, or sang any of the songs he had been writing in his songwriting book. She was still broken. She still wanted to be with him, so, so badly.

_The year was 2053. Over four years since Deacons passing._

Maddie and Daphne stood in front of their headstones. Rayna's included. It was a cold, overcast day which thankfully fitted the dreary occasion. It was one year since their mom had passed away. Today they felt like coming out to visit for the first time since the funeral. They hadn't been back out, not for any specific reason besides Maddie had been on tour and Daphne was writing a new album - along with being mothers themselves. They had been busy. Daphne especially had been sceptical about heading back. She had been so heartbroken by the loss of her mom. So was Maddie, but she had a capability of pushing her emotions to the side until she got through it all. Today, staring at their moms headstone, which was a musical note, was sad, but comforting all at the same time. They remembered their mom informing them that she had changed her will so she could have a special headstone, following in Deacons footsteps. She always thought he was a bit of an idiot for it, but in the end she just wanted to match with him and have something that was fitting to her as a person.

_"I'm gonna have a musical note as my headstone girls..." she confessed as they were all out visiting Deacons plot just over a year ago. "I wanna match with him." _

_The girls smiled as she finally gave in to having some unusual one like their dad. _

_"One of these days, girls, you'll be out here visiting both of us, not just your dad." she said, a slight sadness to her voice. As much as she had been more than ready to rejoin Deacon and live on in heaven together, she knew her girls would miss her so much. Both their parents gone. Even Teddy had passed away just a little under 10 years ago, so they would have __no__ parents._

_"Mom, don't talk like that." Daphne had said, looking down at Deacons plot. Seeing how cared and well looked after it was. "I don't wanna think about you being gone as well." Daphne was such a sensitive soul, and she had always dreaded the day she lost her mom. She was her best friend._

_"Honey, i can't protect you from the truth here, i know i'm not gonna be around too much longer..." she could see the pain in Daphnes eyes as she spoke. She wrapped her fragile, bony arms that were dressed in a pink coat around her youngest. "But i'm here now, with you girls, and that's all i care about."_

Now, one year on, here they were, standing in the exact same spot, with their mom in the ground. Daphne let out an emotional laugh, swiping at more stray tears that decided to fall. She was laughing at their headstones - how matching they really were. Maddie wrapped her arms around her little sister, comforting each other. They could feel something in the air, that was like extra arms connecting around them. They knew in their hearts it was both their mom and dad protecting them - loving them. Maddie pulled away from Daphne, a handful of white flowers in her hands for her dad. Daphne, in hers, held some pink and white ones for her mom. They both bent down in unison, digging away the dirt slightly and placing them in the ground. Now everything looked pretty. Both plots were looked after and loved and they knew it would be their jobs to keep them tidy until the day they themselves pass on. Maddie looked at the picture on her moms headstone, it was one that Deacon had taken when they were up at the cabin years and years ago. The same time as Rayna took the one that featured on Deacons. "I remember when dad took that picture of mom." Maddie smiled as she thought back all those years.

_It was a snowy day up at the cabin, and it was getting deeper by the hour. They had gone up there to get away from reality for a whole week. Maddie had recently come back home after emancipating and they all thought some time with each other away from the pressures of every day life to ease tensions and build bridges would be ideal. Maddie at first had huffed and puffed, not wanting to spend time away with her parents, but in the end she gave in. They were three days in to their trip when the snow had started falling and now, this afternoon was halfway up their calf. _

_"Come on girls, lets go play in the snow!" Rayna had clapped excitedly, throwing on her outdoor boots and waterproof jacket, with some fluffy grey gloves she had bought recently. She almost seemed more excited than the girls about the snow, but they all followed her out, Deacon included. He let the girls go ahead though, while he got his boots on. He watched out the window as Maddie hurled a snowball at Rayna, hitting her in the shoulder. Rayna burst out laughing. Deacon thought she looked like a real life snow angel, as the snow caught in her hair. He grabbed his phone from the coffee table and headed outside to join the rest of his family. _

_"Dad! Help me out, mom and Daph are thrashing me!" Maddie laughed, rolling another snowball in her hands ready to chuck at one of them. He laughed, watching the three of them taking this fight very seriously. Daphne had taken to hiding behind one of the trees to avoid being smacked with Maddie's very powerful throws. _

_Rayna watched Deacon walk down the porch steps, catching his eye as he made it to the bottom and into the calf deep snow. "Girls, give me a minute, i'm puffed." she laughed as she jogged over to where Deacon was standing. She smiled as the girls carried on playing. She reached Deacon and gave him a smile. "The girls seem to love it out here, the snow is doing wonders for our family bonding."_

_"Yeah seems like it, looks like you were enjoying yourself too, baby." he ran his spare hand through her hair, watching as snow fell out. _

_She wrapped her arms around his neck, staring intently into his eyes before placing a soft kiss upon his lips. As she pulled away, her eyes fluttered open and the corners of her mouth arched upwards into a loving smile. In that moment Deacon pointed his phone at her and snapped a picture. _

_"Deacon!" she yelped, trying her hardest to yank the phone out of his hand. No such luck as he held it higher than she was ever able to reach. "Babe, seriously, why did you do that?" she groaned, rubbing her gloved hands together to stem some warmth. _

_"You looked beautiful - like a snow angel. I wanted to capture it." he smiled as he went to his recent photos and had a look at what he'd just taken. Sure enough, like he expected, she looked beyond stunning. Her red hair was cascading down her back - snow flakes sprinkled throughout, her blue eyes were twinkling and her smile was wider than it had been in months. She was happy. "Hey, its a good picture, Ray. It ain't bad at all." he twisted the phone so she could see it. She just shook her head, laughing slightly at his behaviour before wrapping her arms back around his neck and indulging in his lips._

"I remember that too. Mom must have loved that picture in the end because shes chosen it for her headstone." Daphne smiled. She looked out at the trees bordering the cemetery, letting the cool wind dry the tears pooling in her eyes. "I miss those days, so much. When we were so young and we'd go up to the cabin..."

"Me too. At the time i didn't realise how precious our teenage years were and i did so much to make mom and dads lives hell." Maddie bent down and ran her fingers over their parents pictures. She felt so guilty about that time of her life, even though it was so long ago and the hatchet had been buried. She had two of her own kids now, and she couldn't imagine them ever doing such a thing to her or her husband.

Daphne lent down and placed a supportive hand on her sisters shoulder, squeezing it slightly. "Mom and dad forgave you, they loved you." She had started calling Deacon dad ever since that trip out to the cabin when she was 13. She called Teddy dad too, but Deacon was as well. He had been such an amazing one - so caring, helpful and loving.

"I know they did." she looked at Daphne who still had her hand on Maddie's shoulder. "I know they did." she repeated. As much as both Rayna and Deacon had moved on from it years and years ago, and had probably even forgotten about it, she hadn't and never would. She wished she could go back and be a nicer kid to her parents.

They both stood back up, leaning into one another for comfort. They knew that their parents were now together and no doubt happy as ever. "Been a hell of a year without you, mom. We both miss you so much." Daphne cried, unable to control herself.

"So much." Maddie said, kissing Daphs head. "We'll see you when we meet again. You too dad, we love you both so incredibly much." and in that moment, Maddie took a sobbing Daphne back to her car.

It had been such a weird year for them both. They had people fawning all over them with sympathies left right and centre. Wherever they went, someone would comment on their moms death. They'd smile and do the pleasantries, but inside they'd be reeling. Maddie drove them over to the rest home where Tandy was now in. She had been taken in their a few months before Rayna passed away. She was unable to really do things for herself now, she had people helping her daily. Their aunt Tandy was their only original family they had left, besides Scarlett and their aunties and uncles on Teddy's side who they've barely ever met. They had wanted Tandy to come out to the cemetery with them, but she had said she was too weak and fragile now to really do anything.

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Daphne was making Tandy a cup of tea while Maddie was perched on a big armchair across from her aunties rocking chair. The room was quite plain, not a lot too it. It was everything Tandy needed while she was here. The girls knew it wouldn't be long before she too would pass on. Rayna had helped her sister move in here a few months before her own death, she had carried boxes - straining her back in the process. She had told Tandy "I aged better than you" and then three months later she was in the ground.

"You girls take some flowers over for Rayna today?" Tandy asked, in her ever so quiet, aged voice.

Maddie nodded, unwrapping her scarf from her neck and placing it down next to her. "Yeah, and for dad. Its weird that they're both gone. Today really brang it home."

Tandy nodded, before accepting the tea off Daphne who then perched herself down on another chair. "Thanks sweetheart. Yeah, it is weird. I sometimes don't even remember your sisters gone until i get visions of her funeral through my mind." she confessed. She had been suffering from memory loss for a few years now, but it had gotten worse recently. "I remember though the earlier years..and some of the latter of your mama and Deacon. I remember the last time i saw them together...it was with you two actually. Week before poor Deacons death."

"Really, you remember that?" Daphne asked, surprised. She thought Tandy would have long forgotten. "So do i."

"Yeah, honey, i remember we were all out for dinner, your kids included, an then someone had recognised your mama, an asked if she could get up and sing something. She hesitated from my recollection, but then Deacon encouraged her too, and she said 'only if you come sing with me, darlin'..." Tandy remembered.

"And he did." Maddie smiled. "He got up there, with her, and they belted out one of their really old ones. I think it was 'No one will ever love you' and they just stared into each others eyes the whole time" she laughed at the memory.

"That's right. Your mama and Deacon were always known for that up on stage. That chemistry, i have to admit, was sizzling."

Both Maddie and Daphne laughed at their aunt. They remembered back when Tandy wasn't that happy about her sister getting hooked up with Deacon, but she soon realised they really were inseparable, so at their wedding she let it go. Let all that history go and warmed to them, finally.

"Your mama and dad were something special, girls. I want you to always know that." she smiled. "God i remember just after Deacon died, she was broken. She told me all she wanted was to be with him."

_Rayna was in her rocking chair, a soft grey blanket of Deacons draped over her legs for comfort while she stared into space. She looked broken._ _Broken_. _Tandy was sitting opposite her, trying to get her sister to talk about what had happened, or at least talk about something. Anything. "Rayna, sweetheart, i know this is hard, but its been two weeks and you've barely left the house, you've barely done anything at all. Why don't we go out for lunch?"_

_"No, id rather stay here." she quietly said as she played with the edges of the blanket in her lap. _

_"You have too -"_

_"I don't have to do anything i don't want to do, i'm 79 years old, Tandy." She said, a hint of annoyance lacing her voice. _

_"I know, darling, i know. You love going out for lunch, usually." _

_"Well all i want right now is to be with Deacon." she said as tears welled up in her eyes. "That's all i want. The day i reunite with him will be the best damn day of my life." she cried, swiping at her tears. She could smell her husbands scent on the blanket and more tears began to fall. "I know it probably sounds ridiculous to you, but iv'e loved that man since i was 16 years old, Tandy. Thats 63 years. I cant continue without him, i just cant." _

_That was all Tandy needed to know her sister was gone too. She had gone with Deacon that day. The spark had been sucked out of her, the excitement for life was gone. That was the moment Tandy knew that it was only a matter of time before her sister died. _

Tandy brung herself back to reality. Thinking back to that moment four years ago should be difficult, but it gave her comfort. She knew its what her sister wanted, and now she has it. "I want you girls to know that your mama wanted to go. She's wanted to go ever since Deacon died, but now she's finally got her way." she wanted the girls to know that her mom genuinely wanted this, even though death seems like it would be the last thing on most peoples minds. "Shes been up there with him for a year now." she pointed her finger towards the sky, smiling.

Daphne and Maddie would never be happy their mom was gone, but knowing that their mom wanted this was a huge comfort to them. They knew that as long as they were alive, they would incorporate their mama into their everyday lives, and hope she was watching down on them - proud. Same with dad. Their mama and dad would now be together forever. _Forever._


End file.
